Page 36 - Volume 19 Number 11

NATIONAL BUSINESS AVIATION ASSOCIATION • focusFrom Engaging Presentations to Impressive Speakers, NBAA2015 Promises to Dazzle in Las VegasEach year, NBAA’s Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition is where we view business aviation’s products and services all in one place. The event also is an opportunity to network with peers, learn new skills, and reflect on the state of the industry as we move toward a new year.NBAA2015 will continue this proud tradition, bringing together approximately 26,000 key industry personnel from around the world, including current and prospective business aircraft owners, manufacturers and customers into one meeting place to get critical work accomplished.Taking place Nov. 17-19 in Las Vegas, NV, this premier industry event will feature more than 1,000 exhibitors displaying the latest products and services; nearly 100 business aircraft on static display; and dozens of education sessions to help you operate safely and efficiently.New for this year is the inaugural, daylong National Safety Forum. To be held on the third and final day of NBAA2015, the forum will bring together top government and industry leaders to discuss the principal safety issues confronting business aircraft operators.Confirmed opening speakers include NTSB Chairman Christopher Hart and the FAA’s Director of Accident Investigation and Prevention Wendell Griffin. Additionally, the day will include presentations by Flight Safety Foundation (FSF) CEO Jon Beatty, International Business Aviation Council (IBAC) Director General Kurt Edwards and members of the NBAA Safety Committee focus teams.As in past years, NBAA2015 will also feature an impressive array of dynamic speakers. This year’s roster includes R. Gil Kerlikowske, commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), who will speak during the event’s Opening General Session on Nov. 17.Also speaking at NBAA2015 is retired US Airways Capt. Chesley B. “Sully” Sullenberger III, who will be a featured speaker during the second- day Opening General Session. Sullenberger, along with his first officer, Jeffrey Skiles, effected a remarkable engine-out water landing in the Hudson River on Jan. 15, 2009, that became known as the “Miracle on the Hudson.”NBAA2015 will also offer attendees the chance to explore the ever-increasing potential for small, unmanned aircraft systems (s-UAS) in business aviation. The “Innovation Zone” on the Exhibit Hall floor will feature several examples of s-UAS already utilized in various roles in business aviation, complementing the addition of several new, UAS-focused companies also exhibiting at the Las Vegas Convention Center.Each day of NBAA2015 will also feature education sessions focused on UAS, including discussions about existing and potential uses of s-UAS in business aviation, and the rapid maturation of “detect and avoid” technology that will eventually enable the safe deployment of larger unmanned systems into the NAS. Unmanned aircraft will also be in focus during Careers in Business Aviation Day on Thursday, Nov. 19 with the session “From Hobby to Career: The Growing Opportunities of Unmanned Aviation.”Whether you’re looking to start up a new business aviation operation, or are seeking to enhance your existing fleet, NBAA2015 offers attendees an unparalleled opportunity to explore this dynamic and fast-changing industry. We’ll see you in Las Vegas!34 • TWIN & TURBINE NOVEMBER 2015